Fantastic Bases and Where to Find Them

We typically hear about the corrosive powers of strong acids, but did you know that strong bases can burn and be just as destructive?

Chemically speaking, bases are defined as substances that produce hydroxide ions (OH-) when dissolved in water. On the pH scale, bases range from 7.1 to 14, with higher scores meaning stronger bases. Common bases include seawater (pH 8), baking soda (pH 9.5), all the way to liquid drain cleaner (pH 14).

Just as acids can be stronger than the pH scale, so can bases. The title of strongest base in the world belongs to ortho-diethynylbenzene dianion. This superbase has the strongest proton affinity ever calculated (1843 kJ mol−1), beating out a long-standing contender known as lithium monoxide anion.